The Ultimate Fighter 5 cast member rose from prospect to contender during his time training at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas. After falling short in his second bid to dethrone then-lightweight champ Frankie Edgar at UFC 136 in late 2011, however, Maynard jumped ship to the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose.

Maynard said he felt his progression stalled at his former gym.

“I kind of plateaued over there,” Maynard said in a phone interview. “It's a game that changes and evolves every day. You've got to keep up with it.”

Though Maynard left his old base of operations, he didn't dedicate himself solely to training at AKA right away. Instead, he attempted a more nomadic approach, utilizing different gyms to hone specific skills.